They first released a compilation, and now Figure 8 & The Secret agents presents Up To The Sky Festival 2011, happening in Singapore this coming 3rd of December 2011.

The festival will feature over 16 bands (both international and regional) and includes the likes of Mogwai (DJ Set), Deerhoof (US), White Shoes and The Couples Company (ID), The Great Spy Experiment (SG) and our KL boys They Will Kill Us All and Tenderfist.

Up To The Sky Festival 2011 will also be running a video programme, headed by the one and only Vincent Moon (of La Blogotheque), Ho Tzu Nyen (SG), Ruangrupa and Dimas Wisnuwardono.

This is one exciting festival not to be missed (there is still time to purchase that bus ticket) and will be held at Old School  in Mount Sophia. Tickets are going out for SG$89 (standard) and SG$50 (students), available through Gatecrash, S.A.M Machines, SingPost Offices and STB TicketCube Orchard.

Head over to their website for the full lineup and details.

Curated by 5 promoters from Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, the compilation features South East Asia’s most prominent independent acts such as They Will Kill Us All, Tenderfist, White Shoes and The Couples Company, The Dorques, Muon, Noughts and Exes, Sore and many more.

The 25 track compilation also features experimental art-pop quartet, Deerhoof (US), psychedelic rock outfit, Dr. Dog (US), and Helsinki based electronica outfit Zebra and Snake.

Available in stores and on iTunes from the 18th of October 2011, the compilation will be released under Valleyarm Digital Music Distribution in the lead-up to the groundbreaking debut of UpToTheSky Festival organized by Figure8 Agency and The Secret Agents/Ruangrupa, to be held in Singapore and Jakarta from December 3rd-5th, 2011.

Here’s a video interview with one of the bands, L’Alphalpha from Jakarta, Indonesia.

Click here for more info

Liyana Fizi will be launching her highly anticipated debut solo album this coming 11th of September at Bentley Music Auditorium and our ears managed to get a hold of a preview of the album, which includes singles such as Light Writing, Jatuh and her latest single, Kaku. Already contributing 2 songs (Jatuh & Last Notice) from the album to a remake of a Malaysian classic film, Azura, the album features 10 songs that will be sure to make it’s rounds on national radio stations.

Doors will open at 8pm, and tickets are going for RM35 (gets you a free copy of Between The Lines) and kicks off with performances by Narmi and Tenderfist (she mentioned about a future collaboration with them). The showcase will also feature guest performers such as 4Peniti from Bandung, the band that helped her record her debut, and a special appearance from Adzwan Ani “Yob” from local avant garde rajas, Sphere (also her former bandmate and co-founder of Estrella).

Here are some photos we managed to snap at her album preview

Due to the rally happening during the weekend of the original dates on 8th & 9th July, Soundscape Records have decided to postpone the series to the 9th and 10th of September 2011. Click here to read more

The ever hardworking Soundscape Records brings to you the 2nd edition of The Hidden Sessions, a bi-monthly series of events designed to showcase unsigned local bands, to provide them with another platform to showcase their talents, in a pretty swanky venue to boot.

A 2 night event, Friday night will see some complicated instrumental duelling from Nao and Man Under Zero Effort alongside some American Midwest emo (or post-hardcore) from I/Am/Rain, and Saturday night will see some glorious melody making from Free Deserters, They Will Kill Us All and Tenderfist.

Show starts at 8.30pm on Friday 8th July 2011, and Saturday 9th July 2011 9th and 10th September 2011, at The Actors Studio, Lot 10, Kuala Lumpur. Ticket prices range from RM20 to RM35. Check out the event’s Facebook page for further details.

Well, this isn’t a new song by Tenderfist, more of a re-release of an old track (recorded in 2009). If you’ve bought their single recently, you might have / not noticed a beautiful hidden acoustic number, Shipwreck. We started noticing them during their pre-electronica days, and the track below, Heart Of Gold, is one of the reasons why we dig them.

03 heart of gold by tenderfist

Having signed to Senipekik (manned by the folks of Akta Angkasa), Tenderfist has been in the studio for a while now, recording songs for their upcoming release. Though there is no official announcement on when it will be released, the humble trio have been releasing teasers and previews for the past couple of months, and we’re very much excited with their progress.

Here’s a glimpse of what they’ve been working on.

Tenderfist – Everything’s Gone by tenderfist

this wasted heart by tenderfist

Some updates from Tenderfist’s Facebook page

“Two more days to go!!. Our single ” This Wasted Heart” will be out this Friday (29/5). It has 3 songs on it and each song is connected to the single via sounds and structures and theme. it will be on individually numbered gatefold sleeve, solid black and silver printed on 260gm card stock. It will be something special“

Kota Kuala Lumpur is high with anticipation for tonight’s Whitest Boy Alive show, especially amongst indie music fans. And the outfit handpicked by Erlend Øye to build that anticipation even more by opening for them also has support by the tasteful Seni Pekik, local label runned by  the art-rockers of Akta Angkasa.

In Juice magazine’s recent JUICE’s 2011 Predictions : The Music Edition, local DJ XesXesLoveseat expressed his support and expectation for the band Tenderfist this year, but there has been a misinformed statement about the lo-fi outfit being signed to legendary label, SubPop. XesXesLoveseat has clarified that what he really meant was Tenderfist is a band capable of being signed to a label of such stature. Well, the much loved Tenderfist still is in good hands. Don’t miss their show, opening for Whitest Boy Alive tonight as they feature yet again another interesting collaboration with Hana, the former Lucy In The Loo frontwoman.

Click here to head to the homepage of SeniPekik.

The Dance Punk Party is back with its 6th instalment this week. New additions to the line-up this time will be Tenderfist, The Otherside Orchestra and Swampy Zombie Fever alongside DPP staples like Partimelovers, The Fridays, Enrai and M.O.I.S.T. There will also be a DJ set from Xes Xes Loveseat (of the Lost Tapes gang). Should be a fine Friday night out for all of you looking to shake some booty.

Show starts at 6pm on Friday, 18th March 2011 at One Cafe, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Chow Kit (near Tune Hotel). Admission is RM15. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more info.

Tenderfist tweeted a download link yesterday, to the live recording of the Jesus And Mary Chain cover that they did in Little Havana during the 33RPM Live gig. Stream the song below or head here to download and own yourself a piece of local music treasure.

Photo via KLue

We also keep hearing Zack Yusof talking on his radio show of another 33RPM live gig sometime soon. We’re definitely looking forward to that, and all of yous could definitely check in on The Wknd’s site for news of that. In the meantime, let’s reminisce a little by playing Tenderfist’s awesome cover of Jesus And Mary Chain’s Just Like Honey below.

BFM’s steadily and increasingly popular cult radio show 33rpm adds another feather to its cap by recording the show in front of a live audience. Brought to you by BFM and the fine people at Koko Asia, the first in hopefully many editions of 33rpm Live brings you bands like Tenderfist, Kyoto Protocol and DJ Zack Yusof’s own (free) Deserters to play a selection of their own tracks intertwined with covers of bands like The Jesus And Mary Chain, Foo Fighters and Joy Division. Afterwards the bands will then play extended sets.

Show starts at 9pm on Saturday 11th December 2010 at Havana’s (formerly Little Havana), Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Entry is free.

Check out the event’s Facebook page as well.